POVERTY, BY AMERICA

Dion Graham is a master of nonfiction narration. He knows exactly when to pause, sets off quotations flawlessly, and brings exquisite emotion to the text. Here, Graham varies his pacing to complement the flow of Matthew Desmond’s writing, whether he’s describing the depth of American poverty, the history of why poverty exists in such a wealthy country, or the heartrending examples of poverty’s effects on real people. Desmond debunks old tropes surrounding poverty. For example, he says the poor are not lazy and idle; they often work several jobs to stay afloat. He urges listeners to become poverty abolitionists in order to end this national disgrace. As in their previous pairing (EVICTED, 2016), Graham performs with energy and intensity, matching Desmond’s outrage. S.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2023 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2023]